The bright blue sky was suddenly filled with dark clouds, then it started to rain heavily.
This day marked the darkest day of Sky Corporation and the saddest day of Capital Z.
The announcement shocked the country and overseas.
Everyone mourned the loss of Ed Sky. People remembered him as a nobleman who helped the poor through his charity works and an outstanding leader who always motivated his people.
The unexpected turned of events made Arabella changed her departure. She wanted to visit the wake of Ed to pay her last respect, but she knew his family blamed her for everything.
After that night at the hospital, she never saw Bill and she never had the chance to defend herself from him. Kelly was surely had cursed her as she never gave her an ear to explain everything let alone Kelly had already believed what she saw.
The day had come for Ed’s burial. To avoid any havoc, Arabella hid behind a tree just to attend the ceremony. Everyone was wearing black. She could see familiar faces from Sky Corporation. Senator Meyer, Alice, and Trishia were also there. The president and his wife were also in the front row. She could also see Marcus and Gab.
Kelly was with her son who was very dignified in his black suit. Bill was like a sturdy, tall post who had no emotion in his face, but his eyes were dark and unapproachable. His mom was leaning on his shoulder and was vehemently weeping.
Arabella looked at Bill from afar. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him as if she would not see him again, that’s why she’s taking the chance to stare at him for the last time.
It was quite unbelievable, but Bill for some reason looked in her direction. Then his sharp eyes met hers. Arabella quickly hid behind the tree and took a deep breath as her heart starting beating fast.
‘Arabella calm down. It’s just your imagination.’ Trying to convince herself while shaking her head, then she closed her eyes tightly and opened them to wake up herself from imagining things.
She sneaked her head again to the ceremony and she felt relieved when Bill was not really looking at her. She could only see his behind with his mom in the same position.
After the people gradually vanished, Arabella took some time in her position to make sure everyone had already left, then she went out and strode toward the grave of Ed Sky.
She kneeled at him while crying. The kneel was not an admission for her mistake, but it’s her way of giving respect to him. Ed was strict but a loving father to Bill. She could feel Ed cared for her as Bill’s wife.
Ed never doubted her, nor rejected her in his family. He welcomed Arabella wholeheartedly.
The only thing she asked for his forgiveness was for deceiving their family by signing a contract with his son, Bill. Arabella also informed Ed that she was pregnant with his son’s baby and she confessed her true feeling for his son.
After she felt better, she stood up and turned around to leave the gravesite, but a tall figure man blocked her way.
Seeing the man, Arabella was taken aback. She seemed not to imagine things earlier. The man’s eyes were fierce that could kill her just by his stare.
“My… My… My condolences Bill.” Her words were stuck in her throat as she tried her best to say something to him.
Bill looked at her with disgust as if he’s telling her to get out of the place immediately and never come back again in his father’s grave.
“I am giving you 3 hours to step out of this country or, don’t blame me for what’s gonna happen to you.” Bill’s loathing voice sounded then, without giving her another stare, he stepped forward passed by her carrying a cold harmful wind with him.
Arabella didn’t feel threatened by his warning instead, she felt sad as her heart was bleeding.
She turned around and looked at Bill’s broad back as he was sitting in front of his dad’s grave. He seemed to have a moment with his dad alone.
‘Goodbye Bill.’ Closing her teary eyes, she muttered.
Then, Arabella left.
3 hours.
She needed to step out of the country. So, she drove fast and got her bags with her, and went directly to the airport. The airport process went well and she was already waiting in the departure area when her phone suddenly rang.
It was her mom, Jaime.
“Mom?” She quickly picked up.
“Arabella… Arabella…” Jaime was crying and her voice was shaking.
“Mom, hold your grip. What is it?” Arabella had felt nervous. She knew there’s something tragic happened.
“Your dad… Your dad is missing!” With a trembling voice, Jamie tried her best to let go of the words that were stuck in her throat.
Arabella was speechless. She felt the whole world fell on her. It was heavy and she was helpless.
“Arabella, are you still there?” Jaime was worried about her daughter’s reaction.
“Yes, mom. I am listening.” With a messy mind, Arabella answered absent-mindedly.
“I already reported it to the police. We found it in the CCTV that your dad was taken away by two men who were wearing laboratory gowns. They were pretending to be physicians. Arabella, I have a gut feeling that those men are with the person who wanted to kill your dad.” With a raspy voice, Jaime said.
Arabella couldn’t agree with her mother.
Remembering Alice's words, it couldn’t be Senator Meyer but her intuition was pointing to two persons.
Bill Sky who she offended the most and Trishia Meyer, who had no intention to leave her in peace.
Arabella’s mind was in a mess while her heart was thumping so fast. She wanted to believe that Bill Sky had nothing to do with this, but her gut feeling was telling her that he had all the reason and the capabilities to do it.
On the other hand, Trishia Meyer had always been bad to her. As a brat, as she was, she might think that kidnapping her dad was just for fun like setting her up in the party that had caused Ed’s death. She was the only person in the party who knew the truth that it was Trishia who played the video to ruin her reputation, but they had not given her the chance to defend herself.
She then remembered the restroom scene with Trishia.
“Let me borrow your husband and I will spare your dad’s life.” Trishia demanded with a face full of desire to her husband.
Arabella was dumbfounded. She couldn’t believe Trishia was so shameless to borrow someone’s husband. ‘Does she had no morals left in her body?’ Though she was just a contracted wife, they were still legally married and they made that thing that couples do at night.
“I am pregnant with his baby.” Arabella confessed hoping that Trishia would lose her interest in her husband.
“You must be kidding me!” Hearing her, Trishia laughed bitterly.
“Liar! Who’s the father?” She angrily shouted in disbelief.
“It’s Bill.” Arabella held her courage to answer her.
“I don’t believe you! You are a slut! I saw you with other men. How sure are you that it’s Bill’s child?” Trishia obviously couldn’t accept the truth.
“What about Jayson Hansen? He’s your ex, right? Don’t tell me you didn’t have done that thing on the bed with him?”Trishia added with an unsatisfied expression.
“I had never done that with Jayson Hansen.” Arabella replied plainly, but deep inside she was already annoyed with Trishia’s nonsense questions.
“Do you love Bill Sky?” Trishia suddenly asked.
Arabella didn’t know what to answer. Her words were stuck in her throat. The question was out of her expectation.
“Yes. I love him.” Arabella was taken aback by her own words. How could these words come out of her mouth without her knowing it? She really wanted to cover her mouth, but it was too late. Seeing Trishia stiffened, Arabella didn’t try to make amendments to her words.
“You! You are not a match with Bill! I am! You stay away from him or I am going to kill your father!” Trishia shouted angrily that her veins were popping out of her neck.
Seeing Trishia was bursting with anger, Arabella smiled at her and strode out. Outside, she could hear things that were smashed on the floor inside. It was clear that Trishia was flying into a rage inside the restroom.
“I am going to kill your father!” It was Trishia’s last words. Arabella was snapped back to her senses as the words of Trishia flashed across her mind. Arabella just thought that her threat was just out of her anger that day. She never thought that Trishia would be so vicious as to kidnap her father to teach her a lesson or to show off her capabilities.
Arabella clenched her fists. If it’s really Trishia, she didn’t know what she could do to her.
She seemed to be caught in the middle of a situation. Bill wanted her to go outside the country within 3 hours, but how could she leave when her dad was missing? She had only one thing in her mind, she’s gonna asked Alice Davis for help.
She only had 1 hour left, so she quickly stood up and went out of the airport. She left her bags in the airport storage room and brought only some money and her phone.
When she was inside the cab, her cell phone chimed indicating she received a message.
It was from an unknown number.
‘If you want to see your dad again, come to the HZ Night Club at 7:00 pm. Don’t ever think of calling the police or else your father die.’
Arabella’s eyes widened and her cold sweat went out on her forehead through the aircon in the cab was fully on.
7: 00 pm would mark her 3 hrs. limit. If she followed Bill, after this time, she should not be still in the country otherwise, she’s going against his warning.
But what could she do?
Her father was more important to her. Without any hesitation, she asked the driver to take her to the HZ Night Club.
The Club was not as huge as Luxury Bar. It had a round dance floor and an open second floor for VIPs.
Gathering all her courage, Arabella entered the bar without any clue what’s waiting for her inside. What would happen tonight, she had no one and it was only herself that she could rely on to save her father.
She walked and reached the center of the dance floor. Her eyes wandered the area trying to see the culprit only to see Bill standing on the second floor with a glass of alcohol in his hand. Standing beside him was Trishia seductively tossing her glass to Bill.
“I guess our important guess had finally arrived.” A man with a hoarse voice loudly announced as he approached Arabella's direction with his smile to his ears.
Arabella was alerted. The man’s voice and appearance were creepy. She didn’t know him at all.
After hearing the man’s word, the crowd cleared up the center, leaving only Arabella and the man in the middle.
“Mr. Sky, should we begin the show?” Winston Ford said boastfully.
Arabella looked at Bill but he had no intention to look at her. Instead, he kissed Trishia’s neck and didn’t care what the man down had said.
“People! People! Listen up. This girl here is the wife of our great Bill Sky.” Winston laughed bitterly as she held Arabella’s shoulders from behind not allowing her to move.
“Do you want to see if our Mr. Sky really loves his wife?” Winston playfully said to the crowd around them.
“Yes!” The crowd answered cheerfully.
“You heard that Mr. Sky? Come over and rescue her if you love her.”
Winston then pushed Arabella hard to the ground.
Arabella was shocked and suddenly felt an intense pain in her back. She quickly touched her belly. If she would not do anything, her baby would be in trouble. With her aching body, she struggled to get up, but Winston forcefully dragged her by her hair back to the center.
“What now Mr. Sky? Still not rescuing your wife?” Winston provocatively asked while holding Arabella’s hair.
Trembling, Arabella was sitting on the ground as she looked at Bill for help but Bill just looked at her with no care. His eyes were full of disgust on her while Trishia had a devil smile at her.
When Winston saw Bill still unmoved, he kicked Arabella’s back and she directly fell to the ground.
“Bill, please help me.” Arabella’s trembling voice came out.
Winston kicked her again on the back as she curled her body to cover her stomach.
“Bill, please help me.” She cried again for his help but Bill was unmoved.
The brutally beating of Winston continued.
“Bill please do not save me, but please save your baby. I conceived your baby.” She had no other choice but to confess to him, hoping he would rescue her for his baby’s sake but Bill still didn’t move like a heartless cruel man in the world.
“Bill, it’s your own Baby.” Arabella didn’t give up her hope though she had already difficulty in breathing.
Hearing Bill’s baby in her tummy, Winston got more excited. He then kicked Arabella’s stomach.
'Baby please hold on, your dad will rescue you.' In deep pain and sorrow, Arabella whispered to her baby.
“Bill… help...”
“Bill… my baby..help…”
With her last breath, Arabella cried for Bill’s help not losing her hope in him.